Bhopal, April 6 (IANS) In a tragic incident, three teenage boys drowned in a dam in Ashoknagar district on Monday afternoon while they were bathing for fun. The victims, all minors and close friends from the same village, lost their lives after venturing into deeper waters.

The deceased have been identified as Mayank (16), son of Avdhesh Raghuvanshi, Dev (16), son of Rakesh Raghuvanshi, and Om (15), son of Satish Raghuvanshi. All three were residents of Ajleshwar village under the Nai Sarai police station area.

According to police and eyewitnesses, a group of six boys from the village had gone to the nearby dam, as they often did during summer afternoons.

While bathing in the shallow part initially, the three boys gradually moved towards deeper waters. None of them knew how to swim. Suddenly, they lost balance as the water depth increased sharply and began drowning.

Speaking to IANS, investigation officer Manish Gurjar said that a group of six boys from the village had gone to the nearby dam, as they often did during summer afternoons. While bathing in the shallow part initially, the three boys gradually moved towards deeper waters. None of them knew how to swim. Suddenly, they lost balance as the water depth increased sharply and began drowning.

Their friends tried to help but got scared due to the depth and came out of the water. The incident occurred between 11 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. on Monday.

Panicked, the surviving boys rushed back to the village and informed the families. Within minutes, a large number of villagers reached the spot and began searching for the boys.

However, due to the deep water and lack of proper equipment, their efforts were unsuccessful. The Nai Sarai police were immediately informed.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team was called in. The SDRF divers reached the spot quickly and launched a rescue operation.

After a prolonged and difficult search, the bodies of all three teenagers were recovered from the dam.

The entire village of Ajleshwar has been plunged into deep mourning. Family members of the deceased are inconsolable, with cries of grief echoing across the village.

Relatives and neighbours gathered in large numbers to console the bereaved families. The bodies have been sent to the hospital for post-mortem examination.

Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.

Initial reports confirm that the boys died due to drowning. This heartbreaking incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with unfenced and unguarded water bodies in rural areas, especially during the summer season when children often visit dams and ponds for recreation.

Local residents have appealed to the administration to install safety measures and awareness boards around such water bodies to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

–IANS

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